Mind and Body newsletter

Experiment with spices and flavours using eBook recipes from around the world, exercise using scientifically approved tips, and explore healthy living with the books we have selected for this month’s newsletter.

Library News

Cooking

With delectable recipes and dishes for every meal and occasion, this is a collection of cookbooks from around the globe.

Malaysia : recipes from a family kitchen / Ping Coombes.
“Drawing inspiration from her mother and from the late-night stalls and street markets in her hometown of Ipoh, Ping has put together over 100 delicious recipes that serve as a perfect introduction to the tastes and textures of Malaysian cooking. Chilli crab and caramel pork, spicy laksas and rendangs, satays and tangy sambals: these classic dishes are intensely satisfying to make, share and devour! Welcome to Ping’s family table – and as Ping’s mother would say, ‘sek fan la!’: come and eat!” (Syndetics summary)

L.A. Son : My Life, My City, My Food / Roy Choi ; with Tien Nguyen and Natasha Phan ; photographs by Bobby Fisher.
“A gritty, charming, and flavourful love letter to Los Angeles, L.A. Son is the story of Choi’s love of food and his evolution as a chef. Choi returns to his childhood afternoons at his parents’ Korean restaurant, his nights in L.A.’s illegal gambling halls and his pizza-fueled studying at the Culinary Institute of America before making his way into some of the best restaurants in America. Fully illustrated with full-color photography throughout, it includes 60 inspired recipes for everything from kalbi and kimchi to chorizo and carne asada.” (Syndetics summary)

Sports, Fitness & Recreation

Reach beyond yourself. This selection covers a smorgasbord of interests; from sports involving working with animals, teamwork, and those that call upon personal interests.

After the Final Whistle : the first Rugby World Cup and the First World War / Stephen Cooper ; foreword by Jason Leonard, OBE.
“As Britain’s Empire went to war in August 1914, rugby players were the first to volunteer. They led from the front and paid a disproportionate price. In 1919, a grateful Mother Country hosted a rugby tournament: sevens teams at eight venues, playing 17 matches to declare a first “world champion.” There had never been an international team tournament like it. For the first time teams from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Britain, and France were assembled in one place. Rugby held the first ever “World Cup.” This is the story of rugby’s journey through World War I to its first World Cup, and how those values endure today.” (Syndetics summary)

Fight Like a Physicist : the incredible science behind martial arts / Jason Thalken, PHD.
“Fight Like a Physicist provides an in-depth, sometimes whimsical look into the physics behind martial arts for sport and self-defense. Whether you are an experienced martial artist or a curious enthusiast, this book can give you an “unfair advantage” by unraveling the complex science of effective fighting techniques and examining the core principles that make them work.” (Syndetics summary)

101 Magic Tricks : any time, any place / Bryan Miles.
“Learn 101 simple magic tricks to astonish and amaze!….amaze everyone you know with easy-to-master tricks and illusions…. Bryan Miles will guide you through astonishing feats such as: the foundations of magic including: The Hand, The Deck of Cards, Mechanic’s Grip and Biddle Grip, Classic Two-Handed Spread, Cutting the Cards and magic at school or college, birthday magic, restaurant magi, and more.” (Syndetics summary)

Religion and beliefs

August’s listed books are quite a mixed bunch, across a range of religions. However, they invite the reader to challenge their misconceptions, and look below the surface to think more deeply about our beliefs and moral decisions.

Islam evolving : radicalism, reformation, and the uneasy relationship with the secular West, by Taner Edis.
“How is Islam adapting to the rapid changes of the 21st century? Despite political unrest and terrorism, the author argues that many Muslim societies are successfully developing their own versions of modern life. In contrast to the secular liberal model that prevails in the West, Islam is demonstrating alternative ways to be modern while maintaining a distinctly Muslim worldview. Professor Edis, an American physicist with a secular viewpoint who was raised in Turkey, is uniquely qualified to evaluate the interplay of modern trends and Islamic values. He devotes separate chapters to prominent examples of what he calls Islam’s “pious modernity.” … This balanced overview of Islam’s relationship with the modern world will be of interest to open-minded readers in both the West and the East.” (Syndetics summary)

When awareness becomes natural : a guide to cultivating mindfulness in daily life, by Sayadaw U Tejaniya ; edited by Robert French ; foreword by Steven Armstrong.
“Meditation is great – but it’s not what Buddhist practice is all about. That’s the message of this engaging and funny Burmese Buddhist monk, and it’s a message that is finding a significant following among Westerners in the Insight Meditation tradition. Sayadaw U Tejaniya teaches how to bring awareness to any sort of activity in order to discover deep insight and liberation from suffering. It works in sitting meditation, but it works just as well when sorting the laundry or doing data entry. “My teachings are nothing new,” he says. “They are, as always, based on the four foundations of mindfulness: awareness of the body, awareness of feelings and sensations, awareness of mind, and understanding of dhamma or nature, i.e., mind and matter.” (drawn from Syndetics summary)

Tears to triumph : the spiritual journey from suffering to enlightenment, by Marianne Williamson.
“The internationally recognized teacher, speaker, and New York Times bestselling author of A Return to Love argues that our desire to avoid pain is actually detrimental to our lives, disconnecting us from our deepest emotions and preventing true healing and spiritual transcendence. Marianne Williamson is a bestselling author, world-renowned teacher, and one of the most important spiritual voices of our time. In Tears to Triumph, she argues that we – as a culture and as individuals – have learned to avoid facing pain. By doing so, we are neglecting the spiritual work of healing” (drawn from the publisher’s description)

Health

Most of us can describe ourselves as out of sync in one way or another, at some point in our lives, be it through chronic illness, allergies, depression, anxiety, alzheimer’s or autism (the list is not exhaustive). There may not be a miracle cure but we can all learn how to become “ordinarily well”. Here are some guides:

Eat complete : the 21 nutrients that fuel brainpower, boost weight loss, and transform your health
“From psychiatrist and author of Fifty Shades of Kale comes a collection of 100 simple, delicious, and affordable recipes to help you get the core nutrients your brain and body need to stay happy and healthy. Your brain burns more of the food you eat than any other organ. It determines if you gain or lose weight, if you’re feeling energetic or fatigued, if you’re upbeat or depressed. In this essential guide and cookbook, Drew Ramsey, explores the role the human brain plays in every part of your life, including mood, health, focus, memory, and appetite, and reveals what foods you need to eat to keep your brain properly fueled.” (Syndetics)

When someone you know has depression : words to say and things to do
“In When Someone You Know Has Depression, Dr. Susan Noonan draws on first-hand experience of the illness and evidence-based medical information. As a physician she has treated, supported, and educated those living with-and those caring for-a person who has a mood disorder. She also has lived through the depths of her own mood disorder. This compassionate book offers specific suggestions for what to say, how to encourage, and how to act around a loved one-as well as when to back off.” (Syndetics)

The out-of-sync child grows up : coping with sensory processing disorder in the adolescent and young adult years
“The Out-of-Sync Child Grows Up will be the new bible for the vast audience of parents whose children, already diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder, are entering the adolescent, tween, and teen years, as well as those who do not yet have a diagnosis and are struggling to meet the challenges of daily life. This book offers practical advice on living with SPD, covering everyday challenges as well as the social and emotional issues that many young people with SPD face. Carol Kranowitz’s insights are supplemented by first-person accounts of adolescents and teens with SPD, sharing their experiences and hard-won lessons with readers.” (Syndetics)

When Fraser met Billy
“Fraser was a two-year-old autistic child with a multitude of problems when he first met Billy at the cat protection shelter. Billy purred, laid his paws across Fraser and they have been inseparable ever since. Slowly but surely Billy has transformed Fraser’s life. Fraser’s mother Louise has watched her son move from being a child prone to anxiety, tantrums and sudden emotional meltdowns to now a much calmer, less moody four-year-old whose future looks a lot brighter. Their profound bond has immeasurably improved their lives and the family’s. Like A Street Cat Named Bob, this story will touch the hearts of all.” (Syndetics)

Eat to cheat dementia : what you eat helps you avoid it or live better with it
“As we live longer it’s essential we understand how best to maintain both body and brain so they can help us achieve all we wish for in life. This book is a companion to Ngaire’s ground-breaking book “Eat To Cheat Ageing”. It addresses the complexities of neuroscience and how what we eat can help or hinder our brains, whether you are in your 30s, 40s or 50s and looking ahead to your later years, currently in your 60s or beyond, wishing to make the most of life; whether you live with a dementia diagnosis or not, or care about someone who does.” (Syndetics)

Personal Development

Live one week at your best and discover what you are capable of for the rest of your life. This is one of the principles you will explore with this month’s selection.

Hell week : seven days to be your best self
“Veteran paratrooper, successful entrepreneur and critically acclaimed performance consultant Erik Bertrand Larssen has helped catapult the success of countless high-achievers, including Microsoft, Boston Consulting Group, and Statoil ASA executives and Olympic medalist Martin Johnsrud Sundby and top golfer Suzann Pettersen. His life-altering and revered method improves performance by getting people to push themselves past the brink of self-imposed limitations. Central to his technique is the commitment to live and experience just one week as your best self. It’s this week that will be the catalyst to making the most of the rest of your life.” (Amazon.com)

The persuaders : the hidden industry that wants to change your mind
“The way human beings persuade one another is changing. Every day people will try to change your mind but they won’t reason with you. Instead you’ll be nudged, anchored, incentivised and manipulated in barely noticeable ways. It’s a profound shift in the way we interact with each other. Philosopher James Garvey explores the hidden story of persuasion and the men and women in the business of changing our minds. From the covert PR used to start the first Gulf War to the neuromarketing of products to appeal to our unconscious minds, he reveals the dark arts practiced by professional persuaders. The Persuaders is a call to think about how we think now.” (Syndetics)

The philosophy of well-being : an introduction
“Recent studies into the science and psychology of well-being have propelled the topic to centre stage, and governments spend millions on promoting it. We are encouraged to adopt modes of thinking and behaviour that support individual well-being or ‘wellness’. What is well-being? Which theories of well-being are most plausible? In this rigorous and comprehensive introduction to the topic, Guy Fletcher unpacks and assesses these questions and many more.” (Syndetics)

The inner fix : be stronger, happier and braver
“With our lives being overrun by social media and celebrity culture, being twenty-something has become pretty complicated. Wanting things we can’t afford, finding ourselves stuck in a job we don’t enjoy, or still living at home with mum and dad, we reach for things to try to perk us up (sex, booze and drugs) – but eventually, they turn out to be the very things that bring us down. Having been caught in a cycle of self-destructive behaviour and come out the other side, Persia and Joey colourfully chart their lives from childhood insecurities to adolescent obsessions. This book teaches you how to stop worrying and start living. ” (Syndetics)